The Sega Mega Drive, known as the Genesis in North America, is a 16-bit fourth-generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. The Mega Drive is Sega’s third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it as the Mega Drive in Japan in 1988, and later as the Genesis in North America in 1989.
- Manufacturer – Sega
- Type – Home video game console
- Generation – Fourth generation
- Release date – JP: October 29, 1988, NA: August 14, 1989, KOR: August 1990, PAL: September 1990, BRA: September 1, 1990
- Lifespan – 1988–1997 (Sega)
- Discontinued – WW: 1997 (Sega)
- Units sold – Sega: 30.75 million
- Media – ROM cartridge
- CPU – Motorola 68000 @ 7.6 MHz, Zilog Z80 @ 3.58 MHz
- Display – Progressive: 320×224, 256×224 (NTSC) or 320×240, 256×240 (PAL) pixels, 512 color palette, 61 colors on-screen, Interlaced: 320×448, 256×448 (NTSC) or 320×480, 256×480 (PAL)
- Sound – Yamaha YM2612, Texas Instruments SN76489
- Online services – Sega Meganet, Sega Channel, XBAND
- Best-selling game – Sonic the Hedgehog (15 million, pack-in)
- Backward compatibility – Master System
- Predecessor – Master System
- Successor – Sega Saturn
